Microsoft Surface devices are immune to Intel AMT security vulnerability
Intel revealed in early-May that there is a critical security vulnerability in its Active Management Technology, which can be exploited to gain remote access to PCs. The feature is designed to help system administrators manage devices, so, due to its nature, it is more likely to affect enterprise users than consumers.
However, since the Surface line is popular with businesses, Microsoft wants to let its enterprise users know that no Surface devices are affected by the AMT vulnerability, despite it being offered in some of the processors available with its tablets and laptops.
Facebook redesigns security settings page making two-factor authentication easily identifiable
Realizing that its security settings were off-putting to many people due to being a shambolic mess, Facebook has rolled out a redesign which it says helps to improve clarity.
As well as giving greater prominence to the most important security settings, some options have been renamed. This comes after Facebook conducted some research into why users were clicking certain options but not changing them -- it turns out they had no idea what the settings actually did.
Healthcare sector accounts for 43 percent of all UK data breaches
Data security services company Egress has released data from the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) which shows that the health sector accounts for nearly half (43 percent) of all data breaches.
It also shows that human error, rather than external threats, is the main cause of incidents across every sector. Staff mistakes accounted for 49 percent of all breach incidents in the last quarter of 2016.
OnePlus releases OxygenOS Open Beta 17/8 -- here's what's new
On top of the official software releases, OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3 users also have access to beta versions of OxygenOS. The builds, which are labeled "Open Beta," typically add new features and improvements to the Android distribution, but may also cause some issues -- something that's to be expected, given their nature.
The latest Open Beta build, which was just released, bears the 17/8 version number and comes with a number of new features, improvements, optimizations and changes to OxygenOS. Here's what you should be looking forward to.
LG G6 users can now unlock the bootloader
LG started giving users of select devices the ability to unlock the bootloader a few years ago, and the tradition continues with its latest flagship Android smartphone, the G6.
This option is not available to every LG G6 user, however, as the official tool provided by the South Korean maker only supports the European model, featuring the H870 model number. The unlocked bootloader makes it easy to load custom ROMs on the device.
Dipiscan is a professional, customizable network scanner
Dipiscan is a professional network scanner, fast, capable, and with a huge number of configuration options. The package is easy enough for anyone to use. Launch it, click Analyze to scan your current network (no need to enter an IP address range, it figures out sensible defaults for itself), and the process is completed within seconds.
A table displays details on every detected network device: reply time, NetBIOS name, DNS name, domain and user, MAC address, adapter manufacturer, and maybe the operating system, device description, available shares and more.
Microsoft Planner now available for Android
Nearly two weeks after introducing the iPhone app, Microsoft officially announces the availability of Planner on Android. The tool was released a year ago to help teams using Office 365 better manage and collaborate on projects.
Microsoft says that Planner is available to Office 365 subscribers on the Business Essentials, Business Premium, Enterprise E1 to E5 and Education plans.
Bad news for Microsoft as Windows 10's growth slows
When Microsoft started the roll out of Windows 10 Creators Update on April 11, it seemed likely the new OS would see a boost in its market share as a result. Indeed, April’s usage figures from NetMarketShare suggested that was the case, with Windows 10’s share growing by a decent amount for the first time in months.
But the Creators Update roll out has been more of a dribble out so far, with only 15.2 percent of US Windows 10 users running it, and the boost that the operating system enjoyed in April hasn’t continued in May.
'Alexa, how do people interact with Alexa?'
A new study analyzing the way users interact with their "smart speakers" shows that the most used feature of devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home isn't to stream music or even to get the latest weather.
The most commonly used feature of smart speakers is asking "general questions," proving that getting answers to life's daily queries and curiosities from a cloud-based computer voice is becoming an increasingly standard practice in today's society.
Security experts warn about UK's nuclear Trident submarines: 'the vulnerability to cyberattacks is real'
A report published by the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) cautions that the UK's fleet of Trident submarines faces "growing potential for cyber-attack." The authors issue a stark warning that "a successful attack could neutralise operations, lead to loss of life, defeat or perhaps even the catastrophic exchange of nuclear warheads."
Government officials have long dismissed the risk of hacking the nuclear subs because they are not connected to the internet. But the report, entitled Hacking UK Trident: A Growing Threat, suggests that risk of malware infection during manufacturing or software updating are just two possible attack vectors that could lead to the compromise of nuclear weapons.
UK launch of Microsoft Rewards bribes Brits into using Bing and Edge
Formerly known as Bing Rewards, Microsoft Rewards has now made its way to the UK. The program rewards users for making searches with Bing, with extras thrown in if these searches are conducted in Microsoft Edge.
Users can accrue points by performing searches, completing quizzes, or spending money in the Microsoft Store, and these can then be exchanged for Skype credit, gift cards, Groove Music passes and more. It's a scheme that amounts to little more than bribery, and sees Microsoft paying people to use its products and services.
EU has big plans for free Wi-Fi coverage
Free Wi-Fi connectivity will soon be coming to public spaces such as parks, squares, public buildings, and hospitals all over the EU thanks to a new agreement.
This comes after the European Parliament, Council and Commission have reached an agreement regarding the decision to fund the WiFi4EU project.
US roll-out of Samsung Bixby delayed as the virtual assistant struggles with English
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8 was slightly marred by the absence of the promised virtual assistant, Bixby. We may now be in June, but it looks like it's still going to be a few weeks until Samsung's assistant arrives in the US. The problem? It's having trouble understanding English syntax and grammar.
So far Bixby has emerged with Korean support, but the Wall Street Journal reports that the English-language version is still weeks away from completion. The news comes from "people familiar with the matter," but Samsung has responded to the claims, adding weight to their veracity.
Logitech launches MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S, plus multi-computer mousing with Logitech FLOW
Logitech today announces the latest additions to its MX range of mice -- the MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S. We'll come back to the mice in a moment, though. There's more exciting news with the launch of Logitech FLOW.
This is Logitech's new software which makes it possible to use the same mouse to control up to three computers. Perfect for anyone who has two or three computers on their desk, Logitech FLOW not only makes it possible to use a single mouse and keyboard to control all of the devices, but also features between-devices copying and pasting.
Bodhi Linux 4.2.0 Ubuntu-based operating system now available
Bodhi is an interesting Linux distribution thanks to its lightweight nature. If you have an older PC that isn't particularly powerful, the operating system could breath new life into it. Unlike some other distributions that are light on resources, Bodhi is not ugly -- its Moksha desktop environment looks rather modern. I highly recommend giving the OS a try.
Today Bodhi reaches version 4.2.0. It is quite the boring release, as there isn't much to it. It is merely a rollup, incorporating many of the updates that were released since the previous stable version, 4.1.0. If you are already running Bodhi and have been installing updates, there is no reason to bother -- this is more for those that aren't already running the OS.
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